3. Questions?
• What is a Press Release?
• Who do I send it to?
• What do I include?
• How should I follow up?
4. Publicity
• Disseminating planned messages through
selected media to further the organization’s
interests
• Forms of Publicity
– Newspaper Article
– News Story
– TV/Radio Shows
– TV/Radio Interview
– Blog
5. Public Relations
• Is the management functions which
evaluates public attitudes, identifies
the policies and procedures of an
individual or organization with the
public interest, and plans and
executes a program of action to earn
6. Doing your homework…
• What does your organization do?
– Who covers your sector/cause?
• Reporters
• Bloggers
– Are there any trade magazines in your sector/cause?
– Does your local newspaper have a section?
• Become a local media expert
– Tune in to local radio stations, reading local newspapers and
surfing the internet, to make sure you are targeting the right
outlets
– You never know what ideas might come to you when you
hear how other stories are covered
7. Where do I start?
Media Outlets In El Paso
• Print
– El Paso Times
– El Diario Juarez/El Paso
– What’s Up?
– El Paso Inc.
– El Paso Scene
– Prospector/Tejano Tribune
• TV
– KINT 26
– KVIA 7
– KFOX 14
– KDBC 4
– KTSM 9
– Azteca 44
– Televisa 56
8. Media Outlets In El Paso
• Radio
– KHEY
– KPRR
– KTSM
– KLAZ
– KSII
– KROD
– KINT
– KOFX
– KHRO
• On-Line
– Newspaper Tree
– El Paso Times
9. Niche Publications
• Lifestyle
– El Paso Magazine
– El Paso Times
– El Paso Scene
• Business
– Twin Plants
– Juarez El Paso Now
– El Paso Inc
• Entertainment
– Posh
– What’s Up?
10. How do you get it to the media?
• Email is the fastest way
• Where to get?
• Paper
• Magazine
• Website
• Or call!
11. How to Disseminate?
• Press Release
– A press release is an official formal
document that gives media outlets an
overview of an announcement of event
12. A Press Release Should…
• Include a distinctive, large headline that is eye-catching and
will make the press pay attention to your announcement
– To include in e-mail header
• Ensure that issue is timely and newsworthy
• Your first sentence should tell readers exactly what your
release is about
• The crucial first paragraph
– You have to grab the journalist’s attention immediately
so make your first paragraph as strong as possible
• Answer: Who? What? Why? When? Where? How?
– Include Process Agenda if Available
13. Press Release Should….
• Avoid a marketing tone
– Don’t sell your product
– Instead it is wise to use facts
• Avoid excessive use of adjectives and fancy language
• Include a contact person, phone number and email address
that is up-to-date and accurate
• Promote your event’s visual appeal. Whether it is a TV
camera or print photograph, news is visual. Include
information about photo opportunities at the end of the
release
14. A Press Release Should…
• It is encouraged to include one of two quotes from
influential people in the community to help draw
attention to your event.
– Be sure to get their permission before sending the news
release to the media
• Include website, if available, to go for more
information
• Type ### at the end of your release to indicate
the end and there are no more pages.
15. Media Advisory/Calendar Notice
• An official formal document used as a means of
reminder that is formatted to make it easy for
media gatekeepers to record the event in their
calendars or day planners
• Difference in scheduling
• Use if your Press Release is announcing an
Event
– Meeting
– Fundraiser
– Exhibit opening
– Health Fair
16. Media Advisory/Calendar
Notice Should Be
• Short and concise
• Should be kept to one page
• Answer: Who? What? Why? When?
Where? How?
• Type ### at the end of the release to
indicate the end
17. Time Line
• Press Releases - Full Month prior to event
• Calendar Notices - Full month prior to
event
• Media Advisories - Two weeks prior to
event. Resend 2 days before event
• Media Follow-Up- Day before the event
for major electronic media
18. Deadlines
• Daily Publications
– Ongoing
– Work 5 days in advance for Sunday feature
stories
• Weekly Publications
– A week ahead
• What’s Up Weekly: Monday for
• Monthly Publications
– A month and a half ahead
• Radio/Television
– Ongoing
19. About Email
– Label in subject line in ALL CAPS
• PRESS RELEASE
• MEDIA ADVISORY
• CALENDAR NOTICE
• PRESS CONFERENCE/PHOTO OP
– On Email Body
• Include text of press release
– As attachments
• Word Document
• Pictures – Low Res – High Res Available
• V-Card
20.
21. Things to Remember
• Information has to be
– Newsworthy
– Timely
• Fact check and spell check documents
• Can use Facts as “Shock Value”
• The more information, the better!
• Visuals
22. Things to Remember
• Best time to send press releases?
– Before 10 am
• Contact information
• Be friendly and mindful of the media
• Always carry a business card
• Send thank you notes
23. Ineffective Headlines
• Wrapped in Tradition
• Masterworks at EPMA
• Will You Volunteer?
• Disease can kill you
• Many have died of HIV
24. Effective Headlines
• Dale Chihuly Wraps El Paso in Tradition
• Kahlo, Rivera and Warhol in El Paso
• Looking For a New Challenge in 2009?
• Bach for Lunch at EPMA
• What you are eating right now can be killing
you……
• 6 Million have died of HIV
25. Getting Creative
• Exhibit Sneak Peak
– See it before anyone!
• Fire Academy
• Feed the Animals
• Take Pictures!
• Got a product?
– Pimp it!
• Wedding
– Hall
26. What Can You Do?
• What is special about your
organization?
• What services do you offer?
• Does anything interesting happen
behind the scenes?
27. El Paso Human Services
• Nothing about them…without them
• Youth Led and Youth Driven
• PRIDE Heroes
• Leaders Effecting Youth’s Success
28. Mission/Vision
• El Paso Human Services, Inc.’s mission is that
of “providing excellent in-home mental health
therapy, home, child and life management skills
training, and family group conferencing to
disenfranchised families, and acting as a conduit
between these families and the courts.”
• The vision of El Paso Human Services, Inc. is
to provide needed services to “at risk” families
and youth and resources to those who serve
these populations.
29. Pitching a Story
• Pitch Stories – Not Topics
– Rave parties – Topic
– Drug usage by teens at rave parties – Story
• Think about….
– Current environment
– Can piggy off any current events?
– Niche Magazines
• Match your story to the focus of the magazine
• Is event happening downtown?
– There is a magazine for that!
30. Interviews
• Wear professional clothing
• Be well groomed
• Be prepared for all questions
• Develop brief Statement
• Develop talking points
• Develop questions that maybe asked and
formulation of short and concise answers
• Make sure your message stays on the
positive side
31. Interviews
• Plan a location
– Place for visual impact
• Outdoor – Beware of climate conditions
– Indoor climate controlled settings work
best
• Take a quick look on the mirror!
• Spit out gum
• Remember to stay cool, calm and
collected
32. Interviews – On Camera
• Start with good posture
• Stay focused on your subject
• Speak at a pace that will allow you to be
articulate
• It is ok to think for a minute about the
question and formulate an answer
• Honesty is key
• If you mess up…
– Start from the beginning
• Content will be edited, unless its live
33. Interview – Don’ts
• Never go “off the record”
• Do not talk with your hands
• Do not chew gum
• Don’t be distracted
• Don’t check your text message
• Do not play with your hair
34. Press Conferences
• A press conference can help publicize any
major event or announcement by reaching
many media outlets in the region together
at one place and time. Press conferences
can be quite efficient, however, it is
extremely important to establish that the
announcement or event has to be
interesting, timely, but most importantly,
newsworthy. If the event fails to consist of
the latter, the media may not respond. This
may hinder future coverage.
35. Press Conferences
• Location
– Easily accessible
– Available and with free parking
– Visually interesting to the media
– Holding a press conference at a place directly related
to the announcement of event should be considered
– The use visual aids such as banners, posters, etc., is
recommended
• The venue should have ample space to
accommodate media, guests, camera crews and
other electronic equipment
36. Press Conferences
• Panel – Include:
– high-profile speaker (s)
– Such person can be an
• Artist
• Community leader
• City representative
– Mayor Cook + Guitar
• Department head, etc.
• Experts
37. Press Conference Scheduling
• Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays
• Mondays are the beginning of the week and media usually use
this day for planning and assignment meetings for the week
ahead.
• Fridays are a considered a “wrap up” day, reporters and editors
rush to complete assignments against the day’s and week’s
deadlines
• The best time is between 10:00 a.m. and 2 p.m.
• Weekend conferences are strongly discouraged since news
organizations drastically reduce operational and reporting staff
during the weekend
• Furthermore, it is generally difficult to reach weekend staff before
and event since they are not available during the week.
38. Press Conference
• Materials for the media
– Press kit/media packet for the attending media
• The press kit/media packet should consist of:
– A copy of the press release
– Fact sheets about event, organization, or project
– Background materials that will amplify content of the
press conference. These include pictures of exhibit,
artist, spokes person, special guest, pamphlets, posters,
postcards, etc.
– Snapshot biography and pictures of key spokesperson
(s)
– Business Card
39. Press Conference
• Preparing a spokespeople for the
event
– Brief speakers on the event or statement
– All participants should be prepared to answer
any questions from reporters and other media
staff
– To help a spokesperson (s) better prepare the
following should take place:
• Develop brief Statement
• Develop talking points
• Develop questions that maybe asked and
formulation of short and concise answers
40. Press Conference
• The day of the press event
– Ensure arrival at least an hour prior to start time
– Assign a greeter
– Start the press conference on time, even if attendance is
sparse
– An official should welcome the media and briefly mention
why the press conference has been called
– The official should introduce the speakers and let the
media know that these individuals will be available for
questions and interviews after the press conference
41. Discussion
• Web as an information tool
• Traditional Media VS New Media
• Channels of communication changing
– Niche Marketing is growing
• Shift in message Delivery
– Consumers control the content they wish to
consume now more than ever
42.
43. Traditional Media
• Newspaper Circulation is down 14%
since 1990
• Network news ratings are down 34%
down since 1994
• Cable News viewership has been flat
since 2001
44. New Media
• 70% of the U.S. population now uses the
internet
• 4 million active blog sites
• 80 million people visited newspaper
websites in 2006
• ElPasoTimes.com gets 6 million monthly
hits
45. Traditional Media
• Newspaper Circulation is down 14%
since 1990
• Network news ratings are down 34%
down since 1994
• Cable News viewership has been flat
since 2001
46. New Media
• 70% of the U.S. population now uses the
internet
• 4 million active blog sites
• 80 million people visited newspaper
websites in 2006
• El Paso Times gets 6 million monthly hits
47. Tips
• Website
– Contact Information
• Telephone Number
• Physical Address
• Email Address
• Suggestion Box
• “Email this Page”
– Splash Page
48. Splash Page
• On the Internet, a splash screen or
splash page is a page of a web site that
is a sort of pre-home page front page.
Designers may use splash pages:
• to direct users to the appropriate website
for their country or language;
• to direct users to a low-bandwidth site or
one more accessible to disabled users;
• as an additional form of advertising.
49.
50. Blogging
• A blog (a contraction of the term
"Web log") is a Web site, usually
maintained by an individual with
regular entries of commentary,
descriptions of events, or other
material such as graphics or video.
Entries are commonly displayed in
reverse-chronological order. "Blog"
can also be used as a verb, meaning
to maintain or add content to a blog.
51. Types Blogs
• Personal blog
• Organizational blog
• Corporate blog
• Question blog
• Popular
– Perezhilton.com
– Gawker.com
– Barry’s blog (http://www.westaf.org/blog/)
– Glasstire.com
